ArticleBMC psychiatry2025
The impact of primary mental healthcare on core symptoms of depression among underrepresented adolescents: a network analysis perspective.
Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDepression has emerged as a leading contribution of the global mental health burden, particularly among underrepresented adolescents. Despite the World Health Organization's promotion of primary mental healthcare as a critical solution, its real-world effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries remains debated due to high costs and insufficient follow-up. This study aimed to explore the impact of primary mental healthcare on the core symptoms of adolescent depression using network analysis, while examining the influence of demographic factors such as gender, age, and family support, to identify more precise and targeted healthcare strategies, improving its effectiveness.
methodsA citywide, multi-center, longitudinal cohort study was conducted in Nanchong, Sichuan Province, China, involving 73,750 adolescents (34,606 girls and 39,144 boys) with median age of 14.00 years old. The Comprehensive Primary Healthcare for Adolescents Program (CPHG) involved two rounds of psychological screening and early intervention. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Network analysis was employed to map the interrelations between depressive symptoms and evaluate the healthcare's impact.
resultsThe CPHG program significantly reduced CES-D median scores from 6.00 to 2.00 (p < 0.001). Network analysis revealed changes in the structure and centrality of depressive symptoms post-intervention, with specific symptoms such as sadness (C18) showing consistent reductions across subgroups. Gender disparities were evident, with female adolescents exhibiting stronger symptom interconnectivity. Junior high school students also demonstrated a more robust symptom network compared to senior high school students. Adolescents living in social welfare institutions exhibited higher global expected influence of depressive symptoms than those living with both parents.
conclusionsPrimary mental healthcare effectively modifies the network structure of depressive symptoms in adolescents, with specific symptoms like sadness being critical targets. Gender and grade-level differences highlight the need for tailored mental healthcare strategies. The findings underscore the importance of addressing both core and peripheral symptoms to enhance treatment efficacy and reduce the severity and recurrence of depression among underrepresented adolescents.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.